Santos

Can We Have Our Jogo Bonito Back Please?

Jul 012012

Brazil is the birthplace of the beautiful game, or as they call it – o jogo bonito. Since Charles Miller arrived in the Sao Paulo port Santos with a couple of footballs and a set of rules, the Brazilians have been going about the game of football in their own way, and in their own time. Eradicating the staidness of the British game they were presented with; they created a style of football which incorporated parts of their carnival culture, their religious beliefs, and a sense of individual flair which has made the Brazillian national team a worldwide attraction. Then the Tika-Takas at Barcelona and Spain came along claimed the beautiful game as their own. Read more..

Don’t Worry Santos, Barcelona Do This to Everyone

Brazilian Football, FIFA Club World Cup, World Football

Dec 212011

Don't Worry Santos, Barcelona Do This to Everyone

Santos 0 – 4 Barcelona Everyone was waiting to see Messi versus Neymar, and Santos had been waiting for months to test themselves against the best team Europe has to offer – one of the best teams Europe has ever offered. After an average domestic season in which Santos finished 10th in the Brasileiro and only qualified for next seasons Copa Libertadores by being the defending champions, all thoughts were on the World Club Cup, and a faceoff between the best players on their respective continents. A sense of anticipation emanated from Brazil as a nation; they were represented in the final of this intercontinental competition for the first time since 2006, but the main Read more..

Santos (and Neymar) into the Club World Cup Final

Brazilian Football, FIFA Club World Cup, World Football

Dec 142011

Santos (and Neymar) into the Club World Cup Final

Today’s World Club Cup fixture saw South American representatives, Santos of Brazil, show their class to edge past a spirited Kashiwa Reysol side, a result which takes them through to the final of the competition. They will meet the winners of tomorrow’s game between Al Sadd and Barcelona. Many pundits are predicting big things from Santos forward Neymar in the build up to the 2014 World Cup, by which time he will be aged 21 and carrying the hopes of the home nation on his shoulders. Until then he’ll just have to make do with Pele describing him as better than Messi – “I think Neymar is much better, more complete” – and a whole Read more..

FIFA Club World Cup Update – Semi Final Preview

Brazilian Football, FIFA Club World Cup, World Football

Dec 132011

FIFA Club World Cup Update - Semi Final Preview

AFC Champions League holders Al Sadd of Quatar secured themselves a dream tie against Barcelona in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup, after defeating the current CAF Champions League holders AS Tunis by two goals to one. Al Sadd can boast a few relatively familiar names in their line-up – including players such as Nadir Belhadj, Abdul Kader Keita, and Mamadou Niang – all of whom may be familiar to followers of European football. The game will take place at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama this Thursday, the 15th of December, and could draw a large crowd in host nation Japan’s second largest city. The first semi-final will take place the day before, Read more..